Stone Cold Crazy
| "Stone Cold Crazy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Queen from the album Sheer Heart Attack | ||||
| Released | 8 November 1974 | |||
| Recorded | July - September 1974 | |||
| Genre | Speed metal, Thrash metal, Hard rock | |||
| Length | 2:16 | |||
| Label | EMI / Elektra | |||
| Writer |
Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon | |||
| Producer |
Roy Thomas Baker Queen | |||
| Sheer Heart Attack track listing | ||||
| ||||
"Stone Cold Crazy" is a song by English rock band Queen from their successful 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack.[1] The song is the eighth track on the album. Although the song was never released as a single, it was played live at almost every Queen concert between 1974–78.[2][3][4][5] "Stone Cold Crazy" also features on the band's 1992 compilation album, Classic Queen.[6]
The song credit is shared between all the members of the band, although Freddie Mercury played it with his band Wreckage before Queen was created in the late 1960s. It was the first song Queen performed live in 1970, but it underwent many changes musically and lyrically before getting recorded, resulting in credit going to the entire band. Early versions of the song were much slower, according to the band, although no bootlegs exist. "Stone Cold Crazy" is known for its fast tempos and heavy distortion, thus being a precursor to speed metal.[7] Music magazine Q described "Stone Cold Crazy" as "thrash metal before the term was invented".[8] In 2009, it was named the 38th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.[9] The song is featured in the music video games Guitar Hero: Metallica and Rock Revolution, as well as downloadable content for Rock Band 3 and Rocksmith.[10][11]
Remixes
Three different remixes were created in 1991. The first two, by Michael Wagener, were issued on different pressings of 1991 Hollywood Records Sheer Heart Attack remaster, and on the Encino Man soundtrack.[12][13] The third one, by Trent Reznor, has been released on several promo CDs in 1991/1992 and 1999.[14] Wagener remixes are not very different to the original and features slight remixing of backing track. Reznor's version mixes the Queen sound with the industrial metal sound of Nine Inch Nails.[14] Reznor's remix includes studio sound bites from Queen at the beginning and end of the track.[14]
Personnel
- Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
- Brian May - electric guitar
- John Deacon - bass guitar
- Roger Taylor - drums
Cover versions
| "Stone Cold Crazy" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single by Metallica | |
| Released | 1990[15] |
| Format | CD single |
| Recorded | 1990 |
| Genre | Thrash metal |
| Length | 2:17 |
| Label | Elektra |
| Writer |
Freddie Mercury Brian May Roger Taylor John Deacon |
| Producer | Metallica |
Metallica covered the song as their contribution to the 1990 compilation album Rubáiyát – Elektra's 40th Anniversary. This cover version was later used as a B-side of their "Enter Sandman" single and subsequently won a Grammy Award; it also appeared on their covers/b-sides album Garage Inc. The Metallica version of the song is more aggressive than the original; they also slightly altered the lyrics, adding two uses of the word "fuck" and changing the more humorous lines for more violent lyrics, such as "walking down the street/shooting people that I meet/with my fully loaded tommy gun".
James Hetfield once performed it together with Queen & Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame (singing Metallica's altered lyrics) at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.[16][17] Metallica also played the song as an encore during their 1991-'93 Black Album tour; it appears on the live CD Live Shit: Binge & Purge and the 2009 Live DVD Français Pour Une Nuit. Hellyeah played Metallica's version of "Stone Cold Crazy" on the 2007 Family Values Tour, sometimes referring to it under the title "Stone Cold Wasted".
Extreme also included part of the song during their medley at the same Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. The band Eleven has also recorded a cover, lending the spot of lead vocals to friend and Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme (Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen).[18]
Rock band Sum 41 began covering a version of this song in their live shows in 2010.[19]
See also
- Grammy Awards of 1991
References
- ↑ Legends of rock guitar: the essential reference of rock's greatest guitarists p.106. Hal Leonard Corporation, 1997
- ↑ Queen live on tour: Sheer Heart Attack: Setlist Queen Concerts. Retrieved July 2, 2011
- ↑ Queen live on tour: A Night At The Opera: Setlist Queen Concerts. Retrieved July 2, 2011
- ↑ Queen live on tour: Day At The Races (world): Setlist Queen Concerts. Retrieved July 2, 2011
- ↑ Queen live on tour: News Of The World: Setlist Queen Concerts. Retrieved July 2, 2011
- ↑ Queen Album: Classic Queen MTV. Retrieved July 2, 2011
- ↑ Jones, Chris (2007-06-07). "Queen: Sheer Heart Attack Review". BBC. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- ↑ Queen News: February 2011 BrianMay.com. Retrieved May 25, 2011
- ↑ "Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs". Retrieved 7 February 2009.
- ↑ Guitar Hero Songs: Queen - Stone Cold Crazy Guitar Hero. Retrieved 16 August 2011
- ↑ Fahey, Mike (August 4, 2008). The Full Rock Revolution Setlist. Kotaku. Retrieved 16 August 2011
- ↑ Michael Wagener discography Retrieved 3 September 2011
- ↑ Encino Man Original Soundtrack Allmusic. Retrieved 3 September 2011
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Sheer Heart Attack - Stone Cold Crazy Queen Vault. Retrieved 3 September 2011
- ↑ "Metallica – Stone Cold Crazy". Discogs. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
- ↑ McIver, Joel (2004) Justice for all: the truth about Metallica Omnibus Press, 2004
- ↑ The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert: Stone Cold Crazy Retrieved May 25, 2011
- ↑ Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen Allmusic. Retrieved July 10, 2011
- ↑ Sum 41 Concert at The Hoodwink, East Rutherford, NJ, USA Setlist Retrieved May 25, 2011
External links
- Official video at Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on YouTube (with James Hetfield and Tony Iommi)
- Lyrics at Queen official website
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